Keep Projects Organized with Microsoft OneNote – Review & Giveaway

Staying organized can be difficult when you’ve got a lot of things on your plate. Whether it’s planning and keeping track of a home remodeling project or figuring out what’s for dinner, I’m often amazed at the amount of details we try to keep stored in our heads. Not surprisingly, some details slip through the cracks – like when I forgot to get baking soda for last night’s chocolate chip cookies. Included with the latest version of Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010, Microsoft OneNote is a wonderful program that helps us organize all our projects, recipes, and ideas in one place.

The Review

While I’ve been a Microsoft Office user for several years, this was the first time I had the opportunity to try Microsoft OneNote. OneNote is pitched as a program that will help you to stay organized with all of the different projects we take on through the year – from planning a family vacation to keeping a nutrition journal. Included with Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010, OneNote is easy to use right out of the proverbial box (or download, these days.) It includes pre-made templates and planners for many of the common projects, enabling you to just click a button and get started.

I decided to use OneNote to help keep track of a bathroom remodel project. To begin, I downloaded the DIY Home Remodel Notebook from the Microsoft Templates page and created a new project called “Bathroom Remodel.”

Once created, OneNote guided me in easy to follow steps to help fill out my planner. I started off with Before & After photos, making sure to include notes for some of the items that needed to be changed. Using the “Draw” tab, I’m able to draw custom shapes and arrows, add text, or highlight items that are important.

OneNote has an colorful toolbar at the top of each notebook that allows you to navigate to each section. The DIY Home Remodel Notebook has tabs for Before and After, Research, Buget, Calendar, To Do, and Contractors. There’s also a guide option at the end.

I use Excel for most of my tracking, so I could really appreciate the Budget tab. On this page, you can list out all of the costs for your project and note anything important. Even better is that you can do basic math calculations, so I won’t need to jump from one program to another to keep track of the finances.

I think one of my favorite features of OneNote is the ability to share the notebook with others. You can enable the share feature for each project, allowing other people to log-in to view your notebook. This is a great way to keep in touch with contractors, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and that budgets are on track.

The calendar tab is another great way to make sure that deadlines and scheduling are accurate and on time.

Microsoft OneNote makes it so much easier to keep track of remodel projects. It is easy to use and everything is all in one place for everyone to review. You can capture screenshots of other rooms or projects for inspiration and keep track of things on your to-do list. And it’s not just for remodel projects. You can also use it to keep track of your favorite recipes, planning trips, or even your fitness plan. There are over a hundred different project templates available for download that you can use to help you stay organized.

If you’d like to take Microsoft OneNote, and the latest version of Microsoft Office Home and Business 2010, out for a spin, you can visit the Microsoft website to download a 60-day free trial. You can also purchase the whole kit and kaboodle on Amazon for just $151.63.

The WiC Project Microsoft Office Giveaway

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive a free product from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

I would use this for my upcoming laundry room remodel….as well as many other daily projects that I have going on. Sounds like a great new feature & I would love to be able to use it. Thanks for the giveaway.

I would use this awesome gift for many things, like making flyer s for my b/f wood shop, for keep up with the business, organizing files and I love creating beautiful calenders. Fingers cross and hope to win.
Good Luck everyone.

Would greatly appreciate winning a copy of Microsoft Home and Office to keep track of many areas of my life…diet, money, and several home renovations, to name a few. Thanks for a great opportunity to win a great product.

I would use it to keep school projects on track. I go to University and homeschool my daughter and granddaughter. I am also dieting using the 1500 cals per day plan from my dr. Drs appoinments….sounds like it has the capability to keep up with me and my little ones. Right now I use the Note pad that came with the computer and have tones of little icons everywhere. This would make things go so much smoother for us and keep everything in one place. Thanks for the opportunity!

I think I would try to use OneNote to plan my wife’s holiday baking. She bakes so much and often runs out of time or forgets to make some one’s favorite treat. OneNote might help here keep organized and on schedule

I would try to use it to help my wife plan and schedule here holiday baking projects. She bakes a ton of stuff and often forgets to make some one’s favorite treat. OneNote might help her keep he backing schedule on track

The better question would be what wouldn’t I use One note for! The possibilities are endless! From keeping track of my work schedule to my kids sports schedules, to all the aspects of my busy life and maybe would help me encourage my husband to do some much needed remodeling around the house! Would LOVE to win this!!! Thanks!

We are in the process of arranging an out-of-state move, and my house is a federal disaster zone (has been for years). I’d use OneNote to help me organize everything for the move, from setting up a cleaning schedule to packing what we need and getting rid of what we don’t.

I really need Office for my schoolwork. I would also use it for stuff at home, too. Keeping track of finances, kids’ activities, and my schedule just to name a few. I would really get a lot of use from it! Thanks for a great review! I love how you used it!

Getting our various acts together all long overdue. We have several home businesses and a 3-flat – and the various sources of income and expenses are a real challenge to keep organized and a nightmare at tax time. We are also dealing with (battling) cancer and we need a way to keep track of all the treatments, doctors, expenses, research etc.

I’m a “back after a 15 year break” college student. A new Office program with OneNote would be absolutely perfect for me! I could use it for everything from school projects to home improvements to planing my son’s homeschooling.

One of my goals at home this year is to set up a to do list and maintenance plan for everything…this program would be great for that. I am also thinking of a project expansion for our diabetes program at work…yep, I have ideas, just need this software:)

I think it would help me clearly lay out a plan, organize all the details, and stay on track with preparing for our upcoming garage sale without becoming overwhelmed and waiting until the last minute to do everything.

I’d use Microsoft OneNote to make an easy to follow family schedule. I know OneNote would save my family alot of time, since we’re usually scattered taking-on school, work, and after-school activities.

We’ve got a garage sale planned for the end of August and I’d love to be able to catalog and price things as well as organize and prep for the sale and post advertisements in a logical and organized fashion.

it would help me stay organized. if i dont have things written down they do not get done and calendar just isnt cutting it. if i have things written in front of me i am more likely to do them… like washing clothes or calling my mom. haha.

I would use One Note to help me keep track of what I have to do on certain days. I would use it to remind me what I needed from grocers or remind me of doctor appointments. The possibilities are endless

about Miriam

Hi there! I'm Miriam - graphic designer, entrepreneur, and author of The WiC Project - a faith-based online lifestyle blog. Whether it's trying a new recipe in the kitchen or testing out the latest product, we love sharing our honest reviews and opinions. We invite you to kick back, brew up a cup of Vanilla Chai, and join the conversation!

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“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”